Only Just A Nightmare
by xXYeah. It's me.xX
Summary: It's been 3 years since that infamous Christmas Eve. Jack and Sally are married, and things seem to be going fine in Halloween Town. But when a murderous force starts causing trouble in the Holiday Worlds, could the dream be over, and the nightmare begin?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've always wanted to see a sequel to TNBC, but... well, let's face it; it probably won't ever happen, given the fact that Tim Burton isn't really notorious for making sequels, and it's already been about twenty years since the original film was released :( So, to put it simply, I decided to write my own. This is just an idea I've had floating around in my head for ages, and I hope you enjoy it :)**

**Disclaimer:**** If _I_ owned The Nightmare Before Christmas... dude...**

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><p>CHP. 1<p>

"A little more to the left - no, my left - yes, that's it… a little more… a little more… aaaand - _perfect_!" Jack Skellington cried enthusiastically as two of the Halloween Town ghouls succeeded in hanging this year's "Happy Halloween" banner over Town Hall. It was fastened in the traditional, tattered, macabre style that their town was famous for - torn slightly and eerily billowing in the wind, covered in enormous cobwebs, the bold words printed in a scarlet shock of blood (courtesy of the vampire brothers, of course).

Halloween was still a few months away, but the citizens saw no harm in decorating early, as they did every year. They liked to be prepared. And besides - it really seemed to put everyone in the spirit. And the more spirited the ghouls of Halloween Town were, the more likely their holiday was to be the most horrible, yet.

Jack beamed as he took in the new banner. "It looks wonderful, fellas!" he called up to the ghosts, who were cheering with delight over their success. "Excellent job!"

"Hey, uh - Mr. Skellington?"

"Yes?" Jack asked, turning around to greet the next member of his public. It was one of the zombies, holding in their hand a jar of what was obviously several hissing, poisonous insects.

"Where should we send the scorpions, this year?" the man went on to ask. "Europe? Spain? Timbuktu?"

"Hmm…" Jack paused, thoughtfully tapping his skeletal, claw-like fingers beneath his chin. "Well - why not all over? You can never have too many giant scorpions running around, you know."

The zombie nodded with a grin. "I agree," he said, turning to leave. "Thanks, Jack."

"You're quite welcome…"

"I've got a question for you, Jack - " said one of the witches as she approached him, holding an arm-load of what appeared to be several small, severed heads.

"Certainly," Jack said as he turned to face her. "What can I help you with?"

She held up one of the heads with a doubtful, dubious expression. "What do you think of the shrunken heads, this year? Too… shrunken?"

Jack took the one she was holding in her outstretched hand, inspecting the hideous thing with narrowed eye sockets, tossing it back and forth, rolling it along in his bony hands. "Maybe just a little bit," he admitted after a moment. He handed it back to her. "Try to make them bigger, if you can."

"Will do, Jack."

"Hey, Jack!" the clown with the tear-away face called out to him, approaching the skeleton on his unicycle as the witch scuttled away. "What do you think of my new act - I thought maybe this year, I could tear off _all _of my flesh!" He gave the Pumpkin King an example, revealing the sickening, rotted organs underneath. "Huh? Huh? What do you think?"

"Why, that's marvelous!" Jack laughed, as the clown pieced himself back together. "I can't wait to see the look on the Mortals' faces when you pull that one. Very good job!"

The clown beamed. "Glad to hear you like it. Thanks a bunch, Jack," he said as he wheeled off.

"Anytime!"

"Jack! Jack!"

Jack let out a heavy sigh at the sound of the Mayor's frantic call, feeling as though his bones just might collapse. As the Pumpkin King, he fully understood what his job entailed, and knew that none of it was ever going to be easy. And he was prepared for that… he loved his work, and if he had to deal with a few negative aspects in order to continue doing what he loved, than so be it.

But he'd be crazy to deny that there were times when things got a little… overwhelming. Like today, for example. Ever since he'd started work this morning, helping with Halloween preparations, answering questions, and providing his overall opinion and advice for numerous concerns, he hadn't had a single moment to himself. It was - well, to put it bluntly - quite strenuous.

Masking his inner plight, Jack plastered on a chipper grin as the Mayor scampered over to him.

"Hello, Mayor!" he cheerfully greeted his long-time friend, who was wearing his "unhappy" expression on his triangular face.

"Jack!" the shorter man panted as he neared him. "I'm so glad I caught you - there's a visitor waiting for you in my office - Mr. Sandy Claws. I tried my best to tell him that you're working, and won't be able to speak with him, but he won't listen to me - !"

Jack's entire countenance seemed to brighten. "Sandy Claws?" he cried, elated. "He's - He's here? In Halloween Town?" It was a rare occurrence when Mr. Claws visited Jack. Since the Christmas fiasco that had taken place three years ago, the two had become very close friends, but whenever they saw each other (outside of their monthly Holiday Leaders Council meetings, of course), Jack was usually the one who had to visit Christmas Town.

He didn't mind it, seeing as how he still harbored an undeniable fascination with the holiday and all it entailed, but the fact still remained that Sandy Claws _never_ came to visit _him_. Truthfully, he believed the man was still a little shaken up from his first visit here, which was why he seemed to have made it a point to stay away for as long as he had.

But now, he'd chosen to stop by. And unannounced, at that. How curious…

"You must let him know you're busy, Jack," the Mayor said desperately. "I've tried! And I don't want to seem rude, but - I can't get him to leave!"

"'Leave'?" Jack echoed, already striding towards Town Hall. "Nonsense! Why would we want him to leave?"

The Mayor blinked. "Well, because, we - "

"Mr. Claws is a guest in our Town, and we should do all that we can to make him feel welcome," Jack said. "Thank-you for letting me know, Mayor! I'll be out in just a moment - take care of things out here while I'm inside, will you?"

"But - But - _Jack_!"

But the skeleton man didn't hear him. He'd already slinked his way over to Town Hall in his impossibly-long stride, and was now climbing up the steps and slipping past the unlocked doors.

He made his way up to the Mayor's office, where - sure enough - there was Sandy Claws himself; dressed in his splendid red-and-white-trimmed suit, sitting patiently at one of the chairs before the Mayor's desk. He rose to his feet as Jack entered the room with a broad smile, and offered the Pumpkin King one in return.

"Sandy," Jack said as he waltzed over to the old elf, enthusiastically shaking his hand. "Good to see you again, sir!"

"You as well, Jack," Santa said with a warm, kind smile. "And how have you been?"

"Oh, just fine - quite busy, but I'm getting along," Jack replied.

Santa chuckled slightly. "Yes, yes, I can sympathize…" the man said. "How is your wife doing?"

Jack's entire countenance seemed to brighten at the mere mention of his sweetheart. "Why, thank-you for asking. Sally's been wonderful, as well, just a little under the weather, as of late. But I'm sure it has to do with all the stress of planning for Halloween. We've been married almost three years, and she still hasn't quite gotten used to everything that comes with being my wife, poor thing."

"Ah," Santa nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. Mrs. Claus was the same when we married. But not to worry, son, she'll learn how to get in the swing of things, soon enough. It just takes time."

"Oh, yes, sir. Sally's the cleverest person I've ever met; she'll probably have a better grasp of all this than me, come next year!" he said with a chuckle. "But, I digress. Please - take a seat, Mr. Claws."

"Thank-you, Jack, I will," Sandy said as he resumed his former position in the chair he'd been sitting in, and Jack took the one beside him.

"I… hope the Mayor didn't give you too much trouble," the skeleton went on. "I apologize on his behalf. I'm afraid he just gets so swept up in making the most terrifying Halloween to date, that he can come off as a little tenacious, at times. But he means well…"

"Of course," Santa said with a dismissive, understanding nod. "I completely understand. He's very passionate about his work; that's quite an admirable trait!"

"A blessing and a curse," Jack said with a small laugh, changing the subject. "But I really have to ask, Mr. Claws - and, n-not that I'm unhappy to see you, or anything like that… I'm actually quite thrilled - but… is there a particular reason why you came to visit? You don't do so very often; I'm a little surprised."

At this, a spark of something unrecognizable slid into Santa's blue, almost-always-jolly eyes. Releasing a small sigh, he glanced away from Jack and absently drummed his stubby, gloved fingers along the arm of his chair. Something in him seemed to deflate.

Jack took notice of this and frowned. He leaned forward slightly in his seat as a look of concern made its way into his empty eyes. He blinked. "Mr. Claws… is… everything alright?"

Santa looked as though he were about to speak, but hesitated, only to try again a moment later. "Well, Jack…" he muttered. "No. No, I can't say it is."

Jack knit his skeletal brow. "Why, what seems to be the matter…?"

Santa was silent for a moment as he gathered his thoughts, eyes trained on the floor. Jack waited patiently for his response, curious and also highly nervous. What if something had gone wrong in Christmas Town? What if Sandy and Mrs. Claws were in trouble, or something like that? What if Sandy knew something about Halloween Town that Jack didn't, some dreadful, horrifying news that he'd come to feed him - and not the good kind?

But Jack was totally unprepared for what the man actually said.

"There's been a murder in Christmas Town."

Jack could only blink at his friend in utter, absolute shock. For a long time the both of them were absolutely silent as the reality of Santa's words began to sink in - for the both of them.

Jack was bowled over. A _murder_? In _Christmas Town_? That just couldn't be right. Christmas Town was, by far, the jolliest and most pleasant land he'd come to visit thus far. He hadn't thought it was possible for the concept of something as… vile and corrupt as murder to even exist in such a place! This was utter insanity… he just couldn't believe it.

"_What_?" was all he could utter after a while, still taken aback.

"It's true," Santa said sadly. "I was just as flabbergasted as you are. It was one of the elves - Edward was his name, Edward Pennygrass. He was a good man… loyal, generous, hard-working…" Santa winced. "They… found his body in one of our forests, just… utterly slashed to bits."

Jack was stunned into silence for a moment. "B-But, Sandy - who would do such a thing in a land like your's?" he inquired, his voice dipping to a low whisper as he spoke.

"I have no idea, Jack. That's the reason I came to see you, today. I've spoken with Cupid, and he says that there have been… disturbances in Valentine's Day Town, as well; nothing remotely close to murder, of course, but disturbances, nonetheless. Uncle Sam had similar things to say… personally, I believe all of this is somehow connected."

"How _peculiar_…"

"Indeed," Santa agreed with a nod. "Now, you and I have become very good friends, Jack, and - well, I figured if there was any holiday leader I could confide in about this, it would be you. So I have to wonder - have there been any recent, odd… occurrences in Halloween Town?"

Jack thought back. "N-No… No, I don't believe so, sir…" he admitted. "But, I assure you, I will definitely be keeping a close eye on things, around here. And if I happen to see anything suspicious, I'll certainly let you know. Whatever this is - we simply cannot allow it to continue."

"I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, I was considering bringing it up at our next Council meeting, just to make sure everyone's aware of it. What do you say?"

"I say it's a splendid idea," Jack replied. "The more people are informed about this, the better. The safety of our Towns must be ensured, Mr. Claws. In fact - I'll call a Town Meeting first thing tomorrow morning to inform my own community."

Santa seemed a bit more relieved. "Thank-you, Jack. I'll encourage Cupid and Sam to do the same on my way back."

"Of course, sir," Jack said with a solemn, understanding nod. He sighed. "I just… I only wonder who or what this could be? And furthermore, why they feel the need to do this? It's all so bizarre."

"Indeed it is, Jack. Indeed it is," Santa responded. "But let's just hope we can figure out how to end this madness before it gets even _more _bizarre… because I have a feeling this isn't the last time we'll be discussing this."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the wonderful feedback! I'm very flattered *blushes*, and also so happy that you're enjoying this so far. Thank-you to all those who read, and to my reviewers:  
><em>Anthea Triton, EpitomeOfRandom, Chlstarr, <em>and _AmethystJoker_. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!**

**Here's chapter two. Please R&R! Hope you like ;)**

**Disclaimer:**** If _I_ owned The Nightmare Before Christmas... dude...**

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><p>CHP. 2<p>

"Yes… y-yes, of course… I understand… I'll see you next week, then… thank-you again, Dr. Finklestein… good-bye."

Sally set the telephone back on its hook with a small sigh, a stab of relief coursing through her being. She sat in a rickety, wooden chair by the window of she and Jack's bedroom, already dressed in her nightgown, gazing up at the ever-full moon with distant, dreamy eyes. She absently stroked Zero's cold, floppy ears as he curled into her lap, serene and half-asleep.

She'd just made plans to visit the Doctor next Monday. Since she and Jack had been married, she often didn't, simply because the place brought back too many painful memories. Memories of isolation, and emptiness, and anger. She knew that Dr. Finklestein was the closest thing she would ever have to a father, and to a certain degree, she did love him in that way - but it was undeniable that his "parenting" methods had always been irritatingly unorthodox.

As of late, however, Sally felt as though the Doctor was the only person in the world she could turn to. He was a scientist and her own creator; he would certainly understand the nature of several changes she'd begun to experience, and why they were happening. She'd been feeling so peculiar, lately, and she knew her actions were starting to let it show.

She always seemed to be tired, and for no apparent reason at all. There were some instances when - even if she'd happened to get a full night's rest - she'd spend the entire day practically numb on her feet, wrecked with exhaustion. She often experienced a winded, lightheaded feeling, as though she'd just run three miles and couldn't seem to catch her breath. She'd grown sensitive to certain smells, the simplest of things that had never bothered her before; but nowadays, even the slightest whiff of something could send her into a gagging fit. And she'd been so distant, lost in her thoughts, practically in a different world. She'd always been something of a dreamer, but recently, she was hardly ever on the same planet as anyone else.

Sally was starting to grow anxious, and she knew Jack was, too. She often caught him gazing at her with - not an affectionate look of tenderness, as usual - but one of worry and slight concern. He asked her nearly all the time if she was alright, or feeling well, or if there was anything he could do to make her feel better. She didn't want him to continue to fret over her like that, so she'd decided visiting the Doctor would be her best option.

Sally had been so lost in her own thoughts that she nearly jumped a mile high at the familiar sound of the front door slamming shut downstairs, followed by the unmistakable shuffling of footfalls along the wooden floors.

The rag doll perked up, and - Zero having leapt up from her lap at the sound to float off downstairs, yapping wildly - rose from her seat and threw on a nearby, cobweb-pattern robe and patchwork slippers.

"Jack…?" she called out as she made the trek from the bedroom and down to the first floor. That was odd. Sally always left the front door locked, and Jack was the only person in town (besides her, of course) who had a key to get in, so she knew it was him. She even recognized the heavy shifting sounds of his footfalls as he moved about downstairs.

But it was awfully late. She hadn't noticed it until just now, as she glanced at the owl-shaped grandfather clock hanging in the corner, but the time had really gotten away from her. And it was extremely rare that Jack would return home from work at this hour, and if he happened to, he would let her know in advance. Had the Mayor really kept him this long? It was past midnight! And where was his usual, chipper call of "Sally! Are you around, my dear?"?

The sound of Zero's cheerful barking grew louder and louder as she entered the downstairs area of the house, turning past the main foyer and entering the parlor.

"No, Zero…" Jack was saying almost sorrowfully to the creature. "No walk tonight, boy. It's late, and I'm a little tired." He let out a yawn to emphasize his point.

Sally heard the dog whine sadly as she entered the parlor, discovering Jack sitting in the enormous chesterfield that stood before the fireplace (which he must have just lit), with his back facing her. He gazed into the spitting flames with his massive skull propped in one of his skeletal hands. Sally frowned. From where she stood, he looked almost… dejected.

The rag doll silently moved further into the parlor. "Uh, J-Jack?"

His head lifted at the sound of his name, and he spun around, his formerly gloomy expression melting into one of tenderness as he laid eyes on his beloved. He offered her a lopsided grin. "Hello, my dear."

Sally blinked. "Well, hello. You're home awfully late," she said softly.

Jack frowned, sighing. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry I kept you up so long, Sally."

"Don't be sorry," Sally said with a tiny grin. "I've been up for a while, anyway. I… I was talking to the Doctor about my…" she blushed. "Well, you know."

"Ah, yes," Jack lit up. "How did it go? Are you going to see him, soon? Did he happen to recognize any of your symptoms?"

Sally shook her head. "He said he has a theory, but that he can't be sure until he runs a few tests, first," she responded. "But, he's agreed to meet with me, next week. He's confident he can fix whatever's wrong."

Jack smiled again as he released a small breath of relief. "I'm glad to hear it," he told her. He looked at her for a while before he gestured her over with a wave of his hand. "Why don't you come and sit with me?"

Sally smiled as she unevenly made her way over to the chesterfield. Jack slid to the side to make room for her. She plopped into the seat and he drew her close, one arm around her waist and the other clasping her own, while she rested her head on his shoulder, and he laid his head against hers. Zero, having given up on the possibilities of going for a walk, curled into a content ball on the rug before their feet.

For a while they sat like this in peaceful, wistful silence, gazing into the dancing embers of the fireplace. After several minutes, Sally's wide eyes lifted to gaze upon Jack, and she pierced the stillness between them.

"So why did the Mayor keep you so late, this evening?" she asked him.

Jack frowned at this and pulled back to give her a quizzical expression. "I'm sorry?"

"The Mayor," Sally repeated, also drawing her head away from his. "He must have given you a lot of work to attend to. That's the reason you came home this late, isn't it?"

Jack looked at her and let out a sigh. "No, no," he said, returning his gaze to the fire. "For the first time, I can honestly say the Mayor had nothing to do with it."

The rag doll gazed up at her husband with an expression of concern, having sensed his cloudy mood from the moment he'd come home. "Jack…?" she asked carefully. "Are you alright? You seem upset…"

Jack smiled weakly at Sally and leaned forward, giving her a kiss. She allowed it, of course, but the lack of enthusiasm in his embrace was painfully obvious. He drew back and took her tiny hands in his own.

"I… I-I'm alright, Sally," he said after a minute. "A little… shocked, I guess, but other than that, I'm fine."

"'Shocked'?" Sally repeated. "Why? What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

Jack was visibly distressed. He released one of her hands and held the other tightly in his own. He paused, hesitating to vocalize whatever thoughts and concerns were floating through his skeletal brain. But then he remembered that this was his Sally, the woman he loved, the only person in the entire world that he could share his innermost thoughts with openly, and he quickly spoke up. "Well… Sandy Claws came to visit me at Town Hall, today," he said.

The rag doll brightened. "Sandy Claws was in Halloween Town?" she asked, pleasantly surprised.

Jack nodded. "Indeed, he was," he replied. "That's why I got home so late. We had a rather… lengthy conversation."

"Oh, my… I'm sorry I missed him! How has he been doing?"

Jack sighed. "Not very well, I'm afraid." He turned to his wife with a hopeless expression, his empty eyes drooping with sorrow and his skeletal grin twisted into a frown. "Sally… someone in Christmas Town was murdered…"

Sally immediately looked up at him with an expression of utter, unmodified bewilderment. For a while she could only stare at him wordlessly, her eyes clouding with shock, her ruby lips forming words that wouldn't leave her throat. "Oh… oh, Jack…" she said after a while. "That's not - but it's - i-it just can't _be_. Christmas Town is such a… such a…"

"Joyful and happy place, I know," Jack finished for her. "That's why I can't make sense of it… it doesn't seem possible, at all."

Sally was bowled over. She didn't know what to make of this. This was… this was strange, and _wrong_. Very, very wrong. This should have never happened, least of all in a place like Christmas Town! What in the world could have corrupted that sweet, jovial little village? And _why_?

"I… I…" Sally shook her head, absolutely astounded. "I just don't know what to say… I-I can't believe it… I'm so terribly saddened, yet at the same time - I've never been so shocked in my entire life."

"I feel the same way, my dear," Jack agreed. "It certainly is a large pill to swallow. Sandy Claws was so distraught about it - as he should be. It was one of his elves, you know."

Sally gasped. "Oh, no," she breathed. "Goodness…"

Jack nodded. "Indeed; and he informed me that Cupid and Uncle Sam have been experiencing similar oddities in their own holiday lands. No one else has been murdered, that is, but strange things have certainly been happening…"

"Like what?"

Jack shook his head. "Sandy wouldn't say. But he thinks they all have some sort of correlation with each other, and… well, I believe I agree with him. It isn't a coincidence that someone in Christmas Town was murdered, and that strange things started occurring in some of the other holiday towns, afterwards - it couldn't be. Sally… I believe this is all the work of one person."

Sally agreed with Jack wholeheartedly; it only made sense. All of the recent oddities were no coincidence - they'd been planned and executed by someone, that could definitely be assumed. But as he theorized, a sudden, sickening thought nestled its way into her mind.

"You're right; it very well could be. But… but Jack… you don't think that person could have come from the Outskirts, do you?" she asked timidly.

Jack's frame went rigid against Sally's. He blinked slowly. A thoughtful, uneasy gleam shone through in his eye sockets as he considered what she was saying. Sally felt her breath catch in her throat… she knew it was a bit of a stretch to assume such a thing, but… it certainly wasn't _impossible_, was it?

The Outskirts - the fringes of Halloween Town that anyone with half a brain knew better than to venture off into - was an area where Jack had banished all of the town's undesirables; monsters, goblins and ghouls who chose to disregard rules and basic morality in favor of trickery, wickedness, and foul play.

The creatures who lived here were no longer permitted to go out into the Mortal Lands to scare, simply because they were too violent and vicious… sometimes even murderous. The Outskirts had housed some of the most disgusting beings Halloween Town had ever seen; Oogie Boogie had been one of them, for example. They weren't allowed anywhere near Halloween Town, either, nor any of the other holiday lands. They were meant to live out the rest of their lives in a municipal of day-to-day captivity, never to be let back into the world they once knew.

Could it be that…?

Jack shook his skull, quickly dismissing the idea before it could even properly form in their minds. "No, I don't believe that's the case. That's impossible, Sally," he said. "The entire area surrounding the Outskirts is bewitched, remember? None of the creatures can get past the barrier and into Halloween Town, much less the Hinterlands."

Sally paused to consider his statement, realizing that maybe she had been wrong. Of course no one could get in or out. But… it had just seemed so… _plausible_.

She shook her head. No. She wouldn't worry Jack about that, now. She wouldn't dwell on it. "You're right," she said with a small sigh. "I guess I was just… being overly-cautious."

Jack shook his head. "Oh, but Sally, that's certainly nothing to apologize for. Everyone should be overly-cautious about this situation," he said. "That's why I've decided to call a town meeting, tomorrow morning. We all need to be aware of this problem in order to find a way to solve it, before anything too dreadful happens," he said. "Goodness. I just never thought we'd _have_ to make sure something too dreadful wouldn't happen..."

Sally could only nod silently in agreement and squeeze Jack's hand a bit tighter. The fire's gold and scarlet embers spat at them this way and that, sputtering and crackling, until the sound reminded them both of a jeering ghoul, laughing at their misfortune.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Chapter three! Thanks again to those who read, and I'd like to say thanks again to _Chlstarr _and _Ilovemyfilmmaker_ for reviewing. Enjoy ****;)**

**Disclaimer:**** If _I_ owned The Nightmare Before Christmas... dude...**

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><p>CHP. 3<p>

"Attention! Attention, everyone!" Jack banged his gavel against the wooden podium where he stood, trying to call the immense, crowded room to order. "Everyone, if I may have your attention, please!"

A resounding "_Shhhh_!" echoed from somewhere in the back of the room, and a hush fell over the throng of monsters and ghouls that made up the residents of Halloween Town. Lock and Barrel, who'd been wrestling each other in their seats, were immediately smacked by Shock to cease their buffoonery. The vampires ended their debate on which blood type tasted the best. Sally hung backstage, listening intently from behind the curtain. The Mayor frantically motioned for the mummy scribe who stood off to the side of the stage to begin taking notes, as he spun the spotlight on Jack. And all the women present leaned forward in their seats, dreamy-eyed, eagerly anticipating what the skeleton had to say.

The Pumpkin King looked around at all of them and smiled, pleased that they'd calmed down. "Thank-you," he said with a nod. "Now, then," Jack cleared his throat, "I've called this meeting to order today to discuss some… disturbing news that was brought to my attention just the other day."

A low murmur erupted over the crowd. The monsters looked around at one another, surprised at what they were hearing.

"'Disturbing'?"

"Shouldn't that be a good thing?"

"I don't understand; should it _not _be?"

"I'm rather puzzled…"

"Yeah, what do you mean, Jack?"

The murmur grew louder as everyone began speaking at once, and at full volume. Jack had to bang his gavel once more to regain their focus. He paused and waited for silence before continuing.

"As some of you may know, the other day, Sandy Claws visited Halloween Town to pay me a visit. We spoke for quite some time, and - well, we both came to the conclusion that it would be in everyone's best interest if we let all of you know that… there have been a few… curious happenings occurring within some of the other towns. Happenings that have… given some of the other leaders a cause for concern. A-And then, of course…" Jack hesitated, "a recent murder has occurred in Christmas Town."

A collective gasp rose amongst the monsters, followed by a series of hushed, frantic whispers. They were just as taken aback by the ordeal as Jack and Sally had been.

"Now, I know how shocking this sounds," the King went on. "And I understand it may be a little frightening, even to people like us. But I ask of you all, citizens of Halloween Town, to channel this fear into something… well, positive. Now is the time to stick together and truly unite as a town, because this time, we aren't alone. We have to work together with the other holidays, to ensure that whatever… _force_ that has driven this madness won't be making a return."

"The _other _holiday towns?" someone piped up from the audience. "Who cares about them? There's a psychopath on the loose! I say its every ghoul for himself!"

There were several cheers of agreement, followed by cries of discouragement.

"We should establish some sort of protection system!"

"Like a military! We've never had one of those, before."

"No, no, no! You're going about it all wrong! We needn't resort to weaponry to solve all our problems - all we need to do is _talk it out_."

"Hey! Speak for yourself, lady!" squeaked a voice that sounded suspiciously like Shock's.

Within moments, the entire room had erupted into loud, heated chatter once again. "Ladies! Gentlemen!" Jack said, trying to settle them. He banged the gavel several times, but to no avail. He even tried clapping his hands together. But nothing seemed to work. He was preparing to let out one of his infamous, Halloween shrieks to get their attention back on him, when Sally stepped out into the spotlight beside her husband.

"Everyone!" she cried, in a loud tone of voice that Jack hadn't known she was capable of using. He blinked in surprise… as did everyone else. They froze sharply in their seats, recognizing the usually soft, timid voice as Sally's and spinning around to face her. The rag doll - though she was screaming with shyness and insecurity on the inside - maintained an air of utter confidence as she faced the crowd (a little tidbit Jack had taught her when it came to public speaking), holding her head high.

"Thank-you," she said once the crowd had settled. "Now, listen; we can't just build a military from scratch, and we certainly can't abandon the other towns and leave them to fend for themselves. We're _all_ members of the holiday lands; so therefore, we must _all _work together as one to put a stop to this before it gets terribly out of hand.

"Jack and I were discussing building a possible neighborhood watch team for each residential area of Halloween Town, and we're going to speak with the other holiday leaders about them doing the same. Perhaps that's where we can start. If any of you happen to be interested, please come and speak to one of us about it. But until then, it is gravely important that all of us keep safe and vigilant. If you happen to see anything strange or suspicious, please, don't hesitate to let Jack or myself know.

"But remember, we will do everything in our power to make sure that all of you remain safe. This has to be a collective effort, but I know Jack and I will do everything on our part to see that no trouble comes to Halloween Town. We're working to handle this situation. And if we all come together like I know we can, then I'm positive we'll have nothing to worry about. Thank-you."

The audience fell into a stunned silence as they gazed - wide-eyed and slack-jawed - at their normally shy, introverted Queen… who'd just given a short, unplanned speech that could easily rival any one of Jack's! Even the King himself looked severely taken aback, and after a moment or two, he blinked and once again turned towards the shocked crowd.

"Uh…" he shrugged. "V-Very well, then. Uh - meeting adjourned."

The audience broke into reserved, awkward applause as the curtain before Jack and Sally fell, and the skeleton turned to face his wife with a mixed expression of pride and awe.

"Sally," he said, "that was incredible! You handled that magnificently!"

In a flash, the bashful, blushing rag doll he knew so well had returned, wringing her hands and gazing at the floorboards. "Oh," she said. "Well. I did learn from the best…"

Jack beamed at this. "Oh, Sally, nonsense. You did better than _I _could have ever possibly taught you!" he exclaimed. "The way you spoke so eloquently, and captured everyone's attention, and actually _held_ it, too… that takes real skill!" he leaned forward slightly, tilting up her chin with one of his long fingers so that he was gazing into her eyes, coming closer. A playful spark lit in his eye sockets. "I knew I loved you for a reason…"

Sally smiled, melting into her husband's embrace as his lips met with hers, sending their undead hearts into a wild frenzy.

* * *

><p>The hours turned and faded, and soon evening was upon Halloween Town and all its residents. The full moon hung eerily in the sky, bathing everyone beneath it in its delightfully spooky glow. Bats rustled through the treetops and lifted into the crisp night air. The werewolves howled chillingly into the distance. The wind whistled and moaned, and all around, there was an ominous, foreboding feeling that would have sent a chill running along anyone's spine.<p>

You couldn't have asked for a more perfect night.

In the Outskirts, hidden and isolated from everything else, a man was walking boldly through the deserted, cobblestone streets. His name was Meruvius Adrick, a warlock who'd come from a well-off family in Halloween Town. When they all managed to reach their Final Death (usually the second and most complete), he'd been able to inherit their fortune. Meruvius was now one of the wealthiest residents in town.

He was tall and well-built, with haunting, piercing blue eyes that seemed to gaze past your own and into your very soul whenever they looked at you. His skin was pale as freshly-fallen snow, and his hair was a shock of jet black, always slicked back and tinged with flecks of gray, betraying his four-hundred and thirty-one years. There were wrinkles under his eyes and along his chin, but he was handsome, in a dapper, elegant sort of way. He walked with a slight limp and supported himself with a black cane, the tip of it a smoky, glass orb that seemed to dance whenever it caught in the moonlight.

Meruvius moved through the quiet streets, his eyes constantly surveying the area as he went. While he himself was a very powerful warlock (he _had _managed to slip past the enchanted security wall surrounding this place, after all. _Child's_ play, really), and had grown used to things that go bump-in-the night, given that he'd lived in a world that housed them all his life, he still had plenty reason to be apprehensive.

The warlock trekked along, finally reaching his destination, a lopsided, ramshackle house that rested halfway on a hill, past the empty, eerie streets of the Outskirts. There were broken shutters surrounding the windows, paint peeling and chipping horribly on the outside, and an overall sense of creepiness that one would typically associate with a haunted house.

And that's exactly what it was.

There was a dull, flickering light beaming through one of the torn shutters, so Meruvius knew that the person he'd come to see was already at home. He managed to make it up the slope despite his limp, and rapped on the door to the house with a gloved hand, constantly checking over his shoulder.

Several minutes passed, and there was no response. Meruvius knocked again. Once more, he was met with silence, until a clear, hair-raising voice eventually called out to him from somewhere within the abode.

"Who's there?" it snapped. "What do you want?"

Meruvius smirked. "Come now, Echo. Is that any way to greet an old comrade?"

Silence.

A few seconds passed. Suddenly, there was a loud, resounding creak as the tumbledown door slowly swung open by itself. Meruvius was faced with the dreariness of the inside of the home - which looked as though it hadn't been inhabited for several years - squinting in the dim light, lit by a single, flickering candle resting on a wooden table by the window.

He took this as an invitation to come inside, which he followed up on. He looked about the dark, unnerving abode and smiled, impressed with its spookiness. The door suddenly slammed shut behind him, though Meruvius wasn't the least bit startled. He felt a cold chill run along his spine and his grin broadened.

"Hello, Echo," he said casually.

A white, transparent mist materialized before him, taking shape and transforming itself into what was, unmistakably, a ghost. It blinked the black, lifeless depths that would've been its eyes, its would-be mouth pulled into a smirk.

"Meruvius Adrick," Echo said in his thin, whispery voice. "Come back to see me, have you?"

"Of course," Meruvius replied simply. "It's been quite a while, wouldn't you say? I thought I'd look you up."

The ghost nodded."Well. Make yourself at home."

Echo floated to the side, watching the warlock's every move as he entered his home, immediately going to take a seat on the edge of a worn, tattered sofa. Echo was soon gliding to sit across from him in a lopsided armchair, grinning unsettlingly.

"So," the ghost said. "What brings you to the Outskirts, old friend? Did Jack finally wise up and realize you need to be here, more than anyone?"

Meruvius responded to the jab with an icy chuckle. "Not yet," he said playfully.

Echo blinked. "No?" he asked, puzzled. "Then… how did you get here, in the first place? The barrier surrounding the Outskirts is - "

"You're forgetting who it is you're speaking to," Meruvius replied. "You hardly give me enough credit for my powers, Echo! I'm one of the greatest warlocks in Halloween Town, you know."

Echo rolled his non-existent eyes. "A little cocky, huh?"

"Arrogance has nothing to do with honesty," Meruvius shrugged. "It was my talent alone that managed to break down the walls. That, and, of course - the fact that Jack Skellington isn't the only man around here who knows how to charm a few witches who know a bit about disenchantment spells."

Echo looked as though he were about to respond to that, but Meruvius continued before he could get the opportunity to.

"Speaking of dear ol' Jack… he's exactly who I've come to talk to you about," he said.

Any trace of pleasantness lingering in Echo's smoky countenance vanished instantly. He seemed to stiffen in his seat, and his ebony eyes narrowed with disdain. He snorted. "Well, you can _forget _it," he spat. "Hit the road."

Meruvius rose from his seat and carefully made his way over to the ghoul. "Now, now, Echo…" he began. "I know you're still a little… tense about the fact that Jack exiled you from Halloween Town - "

"All for a crime I didn't commit!" Echo snapped. "To think - the nerve of that… that imbecile! Accusing me of murdering a Mortal! I did no such thing!"

It was true. Some years back, on Halloween night, Echo was accused of killing one of the Mortals when his attempts to frighten her had failed. For obvious reasons, Jack had been outraged upon hearing the news, and quickly exiled Echo to the Outskirts as punishment, to rot with the other despicable creatures living there.

According to the ghost, however, her death had been a simple accident; she'd been found lying lifeless at the bottom of a cliff with him gazing down at her, and Echo had always claimed that she'd been so afraid of him that she merely lost her footing and slipped. But because he'd never been a trustworthy creature, most people assumed the opposite - that she hadn't been scared of him at all, and he'd grown so irritated, he pushed her off the cliff, himself.

Most people would believe what Jack would believe. So therefore, Echo had always been seen as a murderer. And he'd hated the Pumpkin King for giving him that title, ever since.

"That's the one thing we have in common, old friend," Meruvius said after a moment. "You and I share a mutual dislike for our beloved Pumpkin King… and I say it's high time we find a way to eradicate the problem…"

Something flashed in Echo's misty expression, and he perked up, suddenly interested. "What do you mean?" he asked.

The warlock leaned forward in his seat, lowering his voice as he breathed his plan to another being for the first time. "Well, we all know how much of a moron Jack Skellington is; he's impulsive, and inattentive, and far too optimistic to get any _real _work done, when it's needed. Just look at the way he runs this place; he's got people jumping around, dancing and singing, all the time.

"That isn't what Halloween's about - it's about… _terror_. Pure, unadulterated terror. Striking absolute fear in the hearts of those Mortals, giving them a scare they won't forget, for as long as they live - frightening them straight into their graves.

"The true spirit of this holiday is represented in every single creature that so-called 'master of fright' has sent here, to forever be isolated from all this holiday could possibly offer. And I've grown weary of sitting back and watching those idiots back in town continue to allow Jack Skellington to believe he's doing his job right," Meruvius snarled.

Echo blinked. "So what are you going to do?"

Meruvius chuckled slightly. "_We_, my friend, are going to dethrone the Pumpkin King, the best way we know how - by scaring all who follow him senseless, until they have no other choice but to agree with us," he concluded with an icy, eerie grin.

Echo frowned. "Us?" he echoed. "_We_? No."

The warlock rolled his eyes, rearing back in his seat once more. "Oh, come on, Ech. I know it's been a while since we've spoken to each other, but don't tell me you've suddenly decided to discard our friendship? We were nothing but the best of chums when you still lived in town, weren't we? I should like to think we're still friends; so if I can't rely on you, I can't rely on anyone. And you hate Jack just as much as I do! You've said so, yourself!"

"I know that! And I'm all for seeing him get knocked off his high horse, but…" the ghost swallowed visibly. "What if there's a glitch in your plan? Didn't Oogie Boogie try to dethrone Jack, once before? And you saw what happened to _him_ - "

"Oogie Boogie failed because he was almost just as pathetic as Jack is," the blue-eyed wizard practically spat. "The _boogeyman_… oh, please. He hadn't the faintest idea what true scaring was; what truly terrifying creature devours insects and employs _children _as his henchmen?" he rolled his eyes to further emphasize his point.

"He was still feared and well-known throughout the Mortal World…"

"So is Jack," Meruvius shrugged. "Mortals are imbeciles; they fear things as trivial as spiders and shadows. Certainly something as unthreatening as a pile of bones or a burlap sack would scare them," he said. "And furthermore - what's all this business about celebrating holidays besides Halloween? What else truly matters? The message of peace and togetherness? Who practices that in a world torn by violence and war…?" he questioned.

"I say we put an end to the other holidays, while we're putting an end to Jack's reign; take over the other holiday lands, as well, and make one giant, unending Halloween… they'd thank us for it, Echo. They'd grovel at our feet and worship the very ground where we step, I'm sure of it."

Echo had grown increasingly interested in all that Meruvius had to say as their conversation dragged on, listening intently and considering things for himself. When it boiled right down to it, Meruvius was right…

Jack really _didn't_ have a firm grasp on what Halloween was about. Halloween was about experiencing true, absolute fear; and how could that happen when Halloween Town's scariest creatures were no longer permitted to be a part of the holiday? And the other holidays really _weren't_ necessary, at all - peace, love, family and togetherness - the Mortals didn't even practice their own beliefs, most of the time. If anything, they displayed characteristics more synonymous with Halloween - violence, chaos, darkness… why bother with the rest?

"I like what you're saying, Meruvius," Echo told the man. "But if I help you - what's in it for me…?"

"Nearly all the gold in Halloween Town; more than you'll have time to count," Meruvius answered without hesitation, using his family's wealth to his advantage, yet again. "But not only that; you'll have power. Respect. Everything you've ever wanted in your afterlife but couldn't have, you'll receive it tenfold, if you join me. I'm a talented warlock, Echo. I can make it all happen."

The ghost didn't even have to stop and consider the warlock's offer. All he had to mention was gold, and his mind was set. The fact that he also brought up power and respect only made it all the more alluring.

"Very well, then. Sounds like a plan," Echo chuckled. Suddenly, a look of confusion slid into his expression. "Actually - what _is _the plan?"

Meruvius grinned. "It's already starting to effect," he responded. "You see, Echo - manipulation is the key to control; we must first collectively give everyone something to fear, something to draw their attentions away from Jack, so they'll turn towards me - uh, _us_," the man said. "And I know just the thing… who do you think's been causing all the trouble in the Holiday Worlds, recently…?"

Echo took in his friend with a mixed expression of perplexity and odd adoration. The ghost laughed, high and chillingly. "I've heard the news... all of this madness was _your _doing?" he cried. "The disturbances, the murder of the Christmas Town elf - all of it?"

"Precisely," Meruvius said with a malicious smile. "I've already got this whole town doing backflips, and this is only the beginning, Echo. We'll stir things up, a bit… keep it going… until, _bam_ - we show up, and the disturbances just… stop. Just like that."

The ghost flashed a poisonous smile. "Just like that," he echoed (with no intended pun, of course). "And then we'll have their trust…"

"And they'll lose their faith in Jack," Meruvius concluded viciously. "There's no way we can fail."

Echo let out another spine-tingling cackle. "It's brilliant!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of something like this, ages ago? It's the most incredible idea I've heard in years!" He paused. "But, what if the citizens don't… comply with our wishes, Meruvius…?"

The warlock leaned forward. His eyes sparkled with a crazed sort of passion, and his expression took on something unsettling and murderous. His lips parted into an unappealing snarl of a grin, and he chuckled. "Oh, Echo…" he growled. "We won't give them the chance to…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ta-daaah! Hope you enjoyed it, and that you're not running away in terror at the sight of two OCs lol. If you're not... then... yay! **

**I had sooo much fun writing Meruvius and Echo. Meruvius is a character who's been tapdancing through my mind since the moment I came up with the idea for this fic, and I knew he had to be an antagonist. He was originally going to be the Grim Reaper, but I figured that would make the storyline a little complicated, so I said eff it, he's a warlock. Echo was going to be a goblin, but I just liked the idea of him being a ghost so much better.**

**Anyway. I'll cease my pointless rambling now to beg you to review. PLEASE R&R!**


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